2026/01/01 by Susan L. Cutter, Kathleen J. Tierney · 1 voice
Health Professions · Nursing · Social Sciences · #Disaster Management and Resilience #Disaster Response and Management #Nursing Education, Practice, and Leadership
paper · doi:10.1016/j.pdisas.2026.100525
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/01/27 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
This commentary highlights the role of “grandmothers of invention”: women in the United States who were the first to enter the field of hazards and disasters as core researchers and who played key roles in advancing the science and practice of hazards/disasters research since 1975. We examine the evolution and transformation of the field from the perspective of the women who were initially entering a male-dominated field. The innovations in theory, concepts, tools, topics, and mentoring the next generation of scholars and practitioners are highlighted. Notably, emphasis on these women's singular and collective influence on practice and policy highlights the significance of introducing sociodemographic diversity and fresh intellectual perspectives in ways that transformed the field. Our approach is qualitative and narrative. Our intent is to introduce readers of the journal, especially those new to the field, to the contributions of leading US women researchers, both with respect to the topics they brought to light and with respect to their contributions to practice. • Women's role in advancing US hazards and disasters research. • Gender contributions to interdisciplinary research in the United States. • Biographical history of research field.